The electrical distribution system for a rotating antenna including multiple consumers according to the prior art comprise an AC/DC bulk power converter being supplied with AC from a main supply. The AC/DC bulk power converter subsequently feeds a rotary power transfer device including a slip ring module with DC, for example 56 V DC, which is transferred to a distribution bus located on the rotating antenna by means of the slip ring module in the rotary power transfer device. Finally, the distribution bus distributes the supplied DC to DC/DC power converters located on the antenna, which power converters transform the supplied DC to a DC suitable for the specific consumers.
Such a distribution system is known from patent document U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,115 A.
This type of electrical distribution system according to the prior art has a number of disadvantages:
The slip ring module for transferring power from a stationary part to a rotary part of the rotary power transfer device comprises a brush, which is in electrical contact with a slip ring. During rotation between the stationary and rotary part, the brush slides on the slip ring whilst transferring electrical power. Hence, abrasion occurs between the brush and the slip ring, which requires increased maintenance of the power transfer device. Moreover, the data transmission capacity of the slip ring module is also affected by a number of factors, like humidity, temperature and rotation speed, such that data transmission speed and accuracy over the slip ring module can be improved.
The distribution system comprises DC/DC power converters that modify the DC of the distribution bus to the specific requirements of the consumers. The DC/DC power converters have relatively high power losses, which also increases antenna cooling requirements. The weight of each DC/DC power converter is also relatively high, which in combination with many consumers and many DC/DC power converters result in a significant weight of the antenna. The mean time between failures MTBF of the distribution system is also high due to the structure and function of each DC/DC power converter.
There is thus a need for an improved electrical distribution system removing the above mentioned disadvantages.